Watch and jewelry cleaning machine



' Dec. 19, 1939. s. REPASY 2,134,020

I WATCH AND JEWELRY CLEANING MACHINE "Filed June 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. s 522w: fir/75% ATTORNEY.

Dec. 19, 1939.

s. REPASY 2,184,020

WATCH AND JEWELRY CLEANING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1937 2 Shets-Sheet 2 x INVENTOR.

' 7: V5 Em /75% ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATCH-AND JEWELRY CLEANING MACHINE Steve Repasy, Los Angelcs, Calif.

Application June 14, 1937, Serial No. 148,118

'lclaims.

This invention relates to devices for efliciently and dependably cleaning and drying machines and parts of machines, particularly, small machines and parts such as'clocks, watches and the like. Such a device, however, may also be'nsed to advantage for cleaning and/or drying most any article having corners, dents and crevices which are ordinarily hard and dimcult to clean by hand and further, requires long and tedious efiorts with doubtful results.

The device to be presently described, includes a series of rectangular containers, each having a particular cleansing fluid of predetermined qualities designed to olean-and'treat the article receptacle to hold the machine and/or parts,

i is inserted in the container having the primary cleaning or conditioning fluid. An electric motor or other power device rotates the agitating 20,. means and receptacle-at a controlled rate of shifted over a heating unit for complete dryingof. its contents.

Special means are provided for lowering and raising the receptacle and also for switching it from container to container with ease and safety. The receptacle has means to accommodate and protect the articles being cleaned and, also means to effectively cause a large stream of fluid to pass through and around the articles.

An object of this invention is the provision of a device capable of thoroughly and safely cleaning articles. r

, Another object is the design of an agitating device capable of entering a container and swinging to one side thereof. 4

: Another object is the arrangement of a receptacle, which holds articles to be cleaned, with a turn-post, the turn-post being free to rotate when the receptacle -is inraised position but flxed when the receptacle is ina lowered position.

.And still another object is the provision of a receptacle and unit an:

to be conditioned. Agitating' means, including av move to a plurality of vertical flxed positions to Perform a certain function in each position.

Applicant's invention may be practiced in a variety of forms but, for enabling one skilled in the art to make and use the same, one form 5 of the invention is set forth in the accompanying drawings and description, it being understood that the drawings and description do not in any way limit the scope of the invention except as limited by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a form of the invention, parts being broken away for clarity.

Figure 2 shows an elevation with parts insection.

Figure 3, mostly in section, shows an enlarged view of an agitating receptacle with the internal removable frame and article holding baskets in place, the section being taken substantially on the line 34 0f Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the agitating receptacle of Figure 3.

Figure 5is a perspective of one of the article holding baskets.

' Figure 6 is'a detail in section taken substan 25 tially on the line 6-4 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a detail of the standard and swivel assembly, partly in section, also, the electrical wiring for operating the agitating motor.

Figure 8 is an elevation of the swivel assem- 3o bly, partly in section, taken along the line 8-8 of Figure "I.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing the pivoted arms in uppermost latched position. 35

Figure 10 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line l0l0 of Figure 9, in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 11 is aview, partly in section, taken along the line ll-ll of Figure 9. 40

The numeral l oi applicants illustrated device represents a base or tray made of any 62 table material such as metal, hard rubber, tough glass etc. The base is divided into a plurality of open top compartments 2 and a covered compartment 3, the cover thereof having a perfo rate portion 4. The compartments have a polygonal shape in plan view to accommodate similarly shaped containers 5 with wide mouths 6 adapted to be tightly covered by any suitable 50 means. These containers may be of any sub- I stance appropriate to safely hold the fluids recarbon. tetrachloride or other fit solvent fluid for the prime cleansing bath of the articles to be treated. Another jar may contain a second bath for the articles, this bath being any of the fluids named, but, in a cleaner state to act as a rinsing solution to remove the viscous substance adhering to the articles from the first bath. The third jar may be merely an air chamber for removal of the surplus liquid, from the second bath, by centrifugal action or, this jar may contain a special drying agent to absorb the surplus liquid; such an agent may be any well known compound to absorb much of the liquid remaining upon the articles after the second bath. i The compartment 3 houses a lamp socket I. fixed to one of the side walls of the compartment and an electric heating lamp 3 controlled by a suitable switch 9, wires from a source 'of electricity, alternating or direct current, connecting the socket and lamp. The lamp is located directly below the opening 4 so that the convective and radiant heat of the lamp will raise the temperature of any article placed above the opening. The cover of compartment 3 also supports a dial and current regulator 10, to be re-' ferred to. later.

The center of the base I is provided with a compartment il in which is rigidly supported a tubular standard 12. A sleeve l3 having a rectangular outer surface, fixed to the standard by screws l4, su rts an elongated sleeve or post l5. The post l5, and the sleeve l3 have cylindrical bores to snugly fit the standard l2; their rectangular outer surfaces being flush with one another. Means are provided, not shown, for

, oiling the surfaces between the standard and post so that the post will turn freely upon it.

Links l5 fluted for strengthening purposes are pivoted to opposite sides of a rectangular mobile post l8. Double washers l9 are provided between the head of the rivets or screws l1 and the flat surface of the swivel post l5 and the mobile post I! so as to assure free operation of the mobile post in a vertical plane, always in parallellism with respect to the swivel post.

A recessed portion l5 of the swivel post provides a protected place to mount. means to control the movement of the links and mobile post. Latch-elements 29 and 2| pivoted to the postl5 by screws or rivets 22 provide means for holding the links and the mobile post in certain predetermined positions. The mobile post is held in its upper-most position when one of the lower links is held in the notch 23 of the latch-element 2|; in its median position when one of the upper links is held in the notch 24 ofrthe latch element and; in its lower-most position when one of the upper llnksis held in the notch 23. A ribbon spring 25, held in a recess 25 of the swivel post, continuously urge the notches of the latch-elements outwardlybeyond the flat surface of the swivel post so as to always be in position to arrest the movement of the links. The outward movement of the notches is limited by their respective protrusions 21. To prevent the-spring the swivel post in certain predetermined positions so that the mobile post l8 can be stopped over a predetermined portion of one of the jars 5 or over the compartment 3. This is accomplished by means of spring pressed balls which enter cavities 3! when in alignment therewith. Four ball cavities are provided, one in each corner of the post l5, diagonally opposite pairs cooperating with balls for arresting movement of the swivel post so as to stop the post iii in a certain predetermined position over each of the 1' our compartments in base I. Only two balls, however, are provided as being sufficient to cause smooth operation of this feature. Bores 32 havinc coil springs 33 are provided as shown in the sleeve l3.

Springs 33 continuously urge their respective balls upwardly so that the balls will automatically be forced into the cavities of the swivel post when in alignment therewith,

An electric motor 34, of suitable character and size preferably housed in a gasproof case, is rigidly held to the mobile post l8 by a metallic band 35 which is held to the post by rivets or screws 38. The shaft 31 of the motor is fixed to an extension 38 of an article holding and agitating device 39; a screw 40, threaded into the motor shaft and passing through the extension, holds the two rigidly together.

The receptacle 39 is preferably a cylindrical metallic box having a side wall 4| integral with a circular bottom 42. The side wall 4! has formed therein open slits 43, arranged preferably as shown, to provide a large number of egress Passages, for liquid that may be in the receptacle. This wall also has bayonet slots 44 which each receive a pin 45 fixed to the flange 45 of a cover 41 so that the receptacle may readily be removed from the cover. The cover is fixed to the motor shaft, as shown, by a rivet 49 or other suitable means, to enable both to turn together; the shaft 40 turning however, in a direction to always urge the pin toward the blind end of the slot 44. The cover 41 is also provided with openings as indicated at 49.- These openings also act as egress passages for the liquid being circulated through the receptacle 39.

The bottom 42 of the receptacle has openings 59 formed by slitting portions of the bottom and pressing the bottom 42' on. one side of the slit to make a sizable opening in the form of a bellied louver. Such an opening is designed to scoop liquid into the container 39 and force the liquid through the receptacle and out the openings 43 and 49. At the threshold of each louvered-opening a portion of the bottom 42 is raised to form, a lip 5i protruding inwardly of the receptacle.

This lip has a plurality of functions; it permits a wider opening at 53 and, it also forms a curved baflle within the receptacle to aid the scooping action of opening 50 and also materially aid in thrusting upwardly the back wash liquid within the receptacle.

An open top perforated metallic basket 52, rectangular or round, is removably provided within the receptacle 39. This basket, like other parts of the equipment, should consist of material not injurable by the liquids employed in the jars 5, copper and bronze being suitable in many instances. To center the basket and hold it tightly in place, spring wires 53 are attached to the sides of the basket in any manner, preferably soldering. The wire is bent U-shape with extensions 54 and 55, extension 54 frictionally engaging the sides 4| of the receptacle. One end of the extension 54 is slightlybended inwardly as at 56 to make removal of the basket easier. The other extension 55, is oil set in steps and turned outward at its tip, as at 56', to receive and firmly hold differently sized parts, watch movements and the like.

Another open top perforated basket 51, of size and shape similar to basket 52 is superposed upon the latter, with the wire extensions 55 preventing it from slipping out of alignment with said basket 52. In, this basket 51, semi-circular perforated partitions 58 and 59 form a plurality of compartments in the basket, to accommodate odd and disassembled watch parts or pieces of jewelry. It

is well within applicants contemplation that the basket 5l may be removed and other baskets substituted which have a particular shape to accommodate a particular work.

A tubular block 60 is mounted upon the swivel post I5 but fixed to the end of the standard 12 by set screw GI, the top of the set screw projecting into a cavity of the standard. The base 62 of an attachment plug is anchored within the block 60 by set screws 63. Female conductors within the base haveextensions 54 and 65 upon which are soldered electrical wires 65 and 61. These wires lead to a suitable source of A. C. or D. C. current. Wire 56 conducts current through a variable rheostat 68 having the dial and finger adjustment feature It). The obvious purpose of this rheostat is to adjust the speed of the motor ered two wire cable 12 which leads to the terminals of the electrical motor 34. A rubber, or any other suitable insulation, cover 13, gives added protection against shock and fire hazard.

By referring to Figure 4-. it will be noted thatthe openings 50 that are formed in the bottom 42 of the receptacle 39 are oflset or tangentially disposed with respect to the axis of said receptacle, and as a result of this arrangement, the liquid that is picked up by the louvers has increased turbulence, and therefore, much greater emciency in cleaning the articles deposited in the receptacle 39.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a watch and jewelry cleaning machine that is relatively simple in construction,- inexpensive in manufacture and very eifective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in' the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved watch and jewelry cleaning machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

' 1. In a watch and jewelry cleaning machine, a

receptacle, a post fixed to and extending upwardly from the center of said receptacle, a plurality of open-mouthed containers arranged in said receptacle around said post, a block on the upper portion of said post, said block having a plurality of side faces, a sleeve mounted for rotation on the post above said block, pairs of parallel links pivoted at one end to said sleeve one pair being disposed "above the other, a post pivoted to the other ends of said links, a motor carried by said last mentioned post and a receptacle for holding parts to be cleaned carried by the shaft of said motor and adapted to enter the open mouths of said containers.

2. A watch and jewelry cleaning machine as set forth in claim 1, with projections on the lowermost pair of links for engaging the faces of the block on the post to prevent said sleeve from being rotated except when said links are moved into their uppermost positions.

3. A watch and jewelry cleaning machine as set forth in claim 1, with means for successively engaging the upper and lower pairs of links to maintain the same and the motor carrying post in differently elevated positions.

4. A -watch and jewelry cleaning machine .as set forth in claim 1, with co-operating spring pressed latching members pivotally mounted on said sleeve for engaging and supporting the pivoted links in different positions.

5. A watch and jewelry cleaning machine as set forth in claim 1, with co-operating means on top of said block and the under side of said sleeve for maintaining the latter in different predetermined positions on the post.

6. In 'a watch and jewelry cleaning machine, a receptacle, a post fixed to and extending upwardly from said receptacle, a plurality of opening said links in difierent positions, a post pivoted to the ends of the links opposite the ends that are pivoted to the sleeve, a motor carried by said last mentioned post and a receptacle for the articles to be cleaned carried by said motor and adapted to enter the open mouth of any one of the containers and also to be positioned above the electric lamp in said receptacle.

7. A' watch and jewelry cleaning machine as set forth in claim 6, with co-operating means in the upper portion of said block and the under face of said sleeve for yieldingly maintaining said sleeve in difierent predetermined positions.

STEVE REPASY. 

